Still, disappointment lingers, heavy in my chest.
But before I can dwell on it, the soft rustle of fabric catches my attention. The drapes in front of the balcony door part, and Colt steps inside. Relief rushes through me, chasing away the doubt, and a bright smile spreads across my face.
He hasn’t left.
Not yet.
“Hey, baby, did I wake you?” he asks, shutting the door and walking over, then sits on the bed beside me.
“No, I thought you’d left for the day.”
“No, I was outside making calls and didn’t want to wake you.”
“Who were you calling?”
“Rob and the guys. They’re doing the promo work without me today,” he says casually, stripping off his jeans.
What in the ever-loving hell is happening right now?
I blink, completely stunned.
Before I can form a response, Colt slides into bed, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me against him like it’s the most natural thing in the world.
Giggling, I rest my chin on his chest and look up at him through my eyelashes. “What did they say about that?”
“The guys were cool, Rob not so much. I told him I was having a day. Just one day for my rock chick and me to be together. We need this, and I need a break.” His hands gently glide along the curves of my naked back, caressing my skin.
My heart pounds a little bit faster.
“But what about your interviews?”
“Cancelled. I’m only doing them because Hux and Rob think we need to keep up the momentum, but “Until the End of Time” has already gone triple platinum. The music speaks for itself. They don’t need me to keep on plugging it,” he says. “Well, not today anyway. The world can wait one more day because today isallaboutyou.” He looks at me and smiles a panty-dropping smile, and my insides turn to mush.
“I’ve been a selfish prick and more concerned about the band’s popularity than what was happening with you.”
He holds my hand. “That was the single worst moment of my life when you broke down after you thought Jessi and I had slept together. I knew how it must have looked, and Jessi didn’t help. That bitch knew what she was doing. But to see you fall apart like that, to the point where you couldn’t even hear me when I was yelling at you, it broke my heart, baby. It broke my heart thatIhad made you that way…” He exhales heavily like a burden is bearing down on him.
Colt pulls me on top of him, and I settle against his chest, resting my head in the crook of his shoulder. His arms wrap around me, holding me so tightly it’s almost hard to breathe, like he’s afraid to let go, afraid I might slip away.
But I’m not going anywhere.
I want him.
I need him.
All of him.
For hours.
***
Slowly, I wake to the feeling of Colt softly stroking my hair.
When I look up at him, his loving gaze compels me to relax instantly.
“You hungry?”
“Yeah, what’s the time?”
